Anne Hathaway initially didn't want to speak in British accent 'The Hustle'

Pic Courtesy: Movie Still

Los Angeles: Actor Anne Hathaway says she was initially not sure about the idea that her character in upcoming comedy "The Hustle" has a British accent.

The Chris Addison-directed film features Hathaway and actor Rebel Wilson as two women who seek revenge against men who have tricked them in the past. 

It is a remake of 1988 comedy "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", which was itself inspired by the 1964 film "Bedtime Story".

Hathaway, 36, who appeared on "Good Morning America", said her character is of British origin, something which was done against her "will".

"I didn't want to do it. I just thought, 'God, if I mess this up it could be such a face plant'," the Oscar winner said, adding the director "insisted" that she speak with the accent.

Hathaway, however, is "relieved" that the British press has liked her accent and appreciated her performance in the film.

"I had an amazing dialect coach and I'm really happy because for the first time -- (in my) 20-year-old career -- I've gotten compliments from the British press on my British accent. I'm so relieved," she said.

"When the director asked me to play this character British, one of the reasons why I didn't want to do it was I just thought this could be exhausting for everybody. Everybody knows I'm not British and it's like, 'Oh, Anne Hathaway doing a British accent'. I didn't want to put myself or you through that," she added.

The actor also talked about her inspirations when she preparing for her character's accent. 

"I thought, 'OK, maybe my character isn't necessarily British'. She's a con woman. Maybe she's just decided that she's British and she sounds British. So I thought, 'What would be her main influences.' 

"I really love Joanna Lumley from 'Absolutely Fabulous' and it would've been such a shame not to put a little Julie Andrews in there. So I put a little Julie Andrews in there. But mainly it was Stewie from 'Family Guy'," Hathaway said.

"The Hustle" is set to release in the US on Friday.